The Irish standard., 1887-05-21
THE "cADGING" RACKET.
dow Recently Bereayed Widows Are
..Nnrl1ed,, for Old Clothes.

dow ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Widows Are
.Worl1ed" for Old Clothes.
II have heard with deep regrets OF
your bereavement madame, and,
knowing that YOU are charitably IN
clined, ] have called to see if you would
aid me in procuring employment I
have a wife and three children depend
ent upon me for a living. l am prom
ised work in ten different stores if can
make myself presentable. You have
no further use for them-they will only
tend to call up painful recollections.
mean the clothes of Nh. 10y The
lady, in deep mourning and eyes be.
dimmed with tears, readily assented,
and in a few moments a servant APP
peared with good-sizsd bundle OF
clothes, the door closed, the petitioner
LETT house on Washington boulevard,
where death had visited the night be-
fore, turned the next corner met a
confederate, delivered the bundle to
him, and the latest Eastern racket had
worked to q nicely.
Curious to get more thorough In
sight into the business, reporter visit
ed well-known resort Of the apostles
of @cadging' on Washington street,
near Franklin. The place is low,
dingy and filthy groggery, dominated
by the genus tramp, whose head
quarters it has been for years. A
dozen or more of the fraternity were
collected about the stove, smoking,
chewing, expectorating and narrating
fables. Presently a lull to the proceed
ings was occasioned by the appearance
Of q comparatively well-dressed man.
"Poys," quoth he, handing three OF
them a slip each, eide gots are goot to-
day. All big fellers up in der avenues.
Come round to der sthore und wash
yer mugs ind fins. -
The reporter recognized the speaker
as a well-knoyyn Madison street pawn
broker. The trio accompanied him to
the sign OF the three golden spheres,
and q ,noment later emerged with
clean faces and somber looks. Each
was accompanied by confederate.
They were armed with the residences
and names OF men who had died che
previous night, copied from the death
notices contained in the morning pa.
pers The reporter sin !gled out pair
and followed them down to Clark
street Here the two boarded u north
bound street car, riding as far as Lin"
coin Park. Following Them the re-
porter was carried down Garfield
avenue. The pair were in advance Of
the scribe about one hundred yards.
Suddenly the 'sunwashed" party turned
g, corner. The other kept on until Il
house was reached, in front Of which
he halted. There had been a death in
the house, as was evidenced by long
piece of Grape pendant from the door
knob.
The man timidly rang the bell, and a
domestic answered the summons. The
caller desired to see the lady OF the
house. The lady could not be seen. a
great bereavement-the loss OF her
husband-had so worked upon her
that she was confined 10 ier room. The
caller WAS not to be put off in this way.
He insisted mildly yet emphatically,
and Che lady Of whom he was in quest
soon came to the door. The same
story as was poured into the synopa-
thetic ear of the Washington bo1ile-
ward widow was given here, aud was
equally successful, for, as be.
fore, d bunlile was the out"
come of the conversation. Az
before, too, the clothes were handed to
the man around the corner Three
other houses were visited, only one Of
which, however, any clothes were got
ten from. And so, with the bundles,
the pair returned the way they had
come, obtained the ready cash for the
fruits of their labors, and returned to
the groggery, where they spent the
money obtained in this manner.
.'Cadging" is q comparatively new
institution in Chicago. A good strike
is very often productive of All entire
outfit Of suits. including oroadcloths
and fine linen underwear. "Jol.nny"
Dugan acknowledgement Johnny
brought the practice West some months
ago, and it will soon assume the pro-
portions it holds in New York and
Phil adelphia. Chic0go Inter- Ocean.